Wire-bending machine



May l, 1928. 1,667,911

A. VAN VEEN WIRE BENDI NG MACHINE Filed Dec. 19. 1924 WIRE BENDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19. 1924 3 sheets-sheet 2 May 1928. I 1,667,911

A. VAN VEEN WIRE BENDI NG MACHINE Filed Deo. 19. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 TOY/YEY Patented May 1, 1923- UNITED STATES .AN'JJOIllV VAN VEEN, 0F XVEST HARTFORI),

BRUSH COMPANY, OF HARTFORID, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION `0F CONNECTI- CUT.

WIRE-BENDING MACHINE.

Application filed December 19, 1924. Serial No. 756,861.

This invention relates to machines for bonding wire structures, more especially in the making of brushes; and an object of the invention, among others. is the production of a machine of this class that shall be simple 1 in construction and particularly rapid and otherwise efiicient in operation.

One form of machine embodying this invention and in the. construction and use of Which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a. View in side elevation `of a machine embodying my invention, the legs being broken oll and the operation of ejecting a formed brush being illustrated in dottcd lines;

Fig. 2 is a top View of the same, some of the brush structures being broken off and other parts of the mechanism being broken Vaway and parts of the runway also being the left of the machine as illustrated in Fig. 1; and

G is a View of a brush structure as formed upon the machine.

lVhile 'the invention illustrated and described herein as employed for bending brush structures, as is also included in my copending application filed November 22.

Serial Number 602.503. it will be 11nd crstood that it maj.7 be equally well adapted for hending structures other than those used for brush purposes. and that the invention not` therefore.` limited to the bendingof Wire structures that may be employed for any specific purpose.

ln the drawings the immoral 10 i1'dicates` the bed of my improved machine that may be supported in any suitable manner, as upon legs 11, a driving shaft 12 being mounted for rotation upon the bed and having means, as a pulley 13, for rot-ating it,

the bearing 14 for the driving shaft, as herein illustrated, being formed on an extension from a bearing plate 15 secured to the bed, and the pulley being ,preferably loosely mounted on the sha-ft and connected thereto i the shaft fo1 this purpose, and a spring (see dotted lines in Figure 2) forcing the pulley in a direction to dsengage the clutch members, and as shown in F1gures'3 and 4 of the drawings. This clutch-may be operated in any well. known manner, as Vby a clutch operating mechanism 17 controlled in its operation as by a clutch operating rod and lever 18 and 19, respectively, the'latter hav-` ing a handle for this purpose. i

A beveled pinion 20 secured to the driving shaft meshes with a beveled gear 21 secured to an actuating shaft 22 mounted in a bearing in a housing 23 projecting from thev upper surface of the bearing plate `15, said gear being` located Within said housing. i A cam disc 24 is secured to the shaft 22 above the housing 23 and has a former Positioning cam groove 25 in its upper surfaceand an ejector `cam 26 011 its periphery. A crank disc 27 is secured to the shaft'22lunder- Death the gear 21 and within the housing 23, and as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1 of the drawings, and a crank rod 28, in the form of a pitman, is pivotally attached at one end to said gear and at its opposite end said rod is connected with bonding` i mechanism to be hereinafter described.

A table 2951:; supported by the bed, as

by means of sides 30, there being an open space within the sides and between the table and bed. Guides 31 are secured to the upper surface of said table to receive a former actuating slide 32 mounted for reciprocating movement between said guides and having a. former plate 33 secured to it and containprojection from said actuating slide and said bar has a stud with a roll mounted thereon located in the cam L: rroove 25, and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. This bar also has a zquide slot 36 to receive the end of the shaft 22 for inparting steady movement to this end of the bar.

The former plate 33 has a somewhat wide groove 3? in its upper surface to receive an ejector 38 in the form of a plat` and upon which the brush structures, as 39, rest during the bonding and 'l""rmin; f operation. This ejector plate has a post nit) located at` about its crosswise center, and an extension 41 from said ejector is pivotall)v mounted between ea's 42 on a bracket -l-3 secured to the front end of the table 29. a part of said bracket extending under the table and bein' secured thereto. The extension -tl has an arm -H located at an angle to the extension with its end in the path of n'ovemcnt of an ejector operating .stud 45 on an ejector actuating bar 46 mounted fo' reciproeating movement in a groove in the bracket the end of the bar havin; Y a roller in contact with the edge of the cam disc 24:. and in the path of movement of the ejectingz cam 20 thereon.

In the operation of the machine after a brush structure has been properly formed thereon and has been released. from the forming elements the cam 26 strikes the roller on the end of the bar -l-G and thus imparts a quick tiltinja' movement. upwardly to the ejector 38 with a result that they brushes are thrown, as clearly shown in Figure l. from the plate and into a reeeptacle that may be snitably located to reeeive them.

Bending arm operatingr shafts et? are rotatably mounted in bearings 48 extending downwardly underneath the table 29. the lower ends of said shafts harin r bending` arm operating gears 50 iu mes-h with the teeth of a. rack 51 formed as a part ol' or secured to a slide 59 mounted .for reciproeating movemcnt between guides 53 secured to the lower end of a boss 54 projectin Y downwardtt`v from the under surface of the table, and as shown in Figure of the drawings. The rack 51 is located between tht gears 50, the 'ack teeth being' located on opposite edges of the rack. The crank rod 28 is pivotally attached to the end of the rack, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings and by means of this rod the rack is reciprocated to impart an axial movement to the slafts I' and consequently to the bendingr arms secured to the upper ends of the shafts 47.

The bonding,r arnis are provided with ears 56 located to pass along' the edges of thI table 29, said ears haviner rollcrs o? traveling in rolling contact with the under surface of said table. The end of each of the arms is formed with a stationary jaw 58 and a novable and clamping,r jaw 59, the latter bein; Ir secured to the upper end of a jaw actualing post extending downwardly through the arin and resting upon a hall (30 movable in contact with the upper surface of the table 25 a iaw opening cam (il and a jaw releasine' cam (32, the jaw opening` cams hcine' located to open the jaws as the arms are moved back'u'ardlr and the jaw rcleasing?r cams opening the jaws to release the wires gripped between them when the arms are in their forward poq'tions. The jaw releasinpr camsy are pivotally mounted. as shown in Figure 2 of the drawiiufs`y and are each provided with bevcled .surfaccs 80-75). As the. arms swinglr in their bending,r movenent' the balls (it) contact with the edges of the rcleasin; r cams and swin; r them out of the way. and after the bonding' is completed the end of the slide 32 in its forward movemcut .strikes the edges of the cams and pushes them forward underneath the arms, the balls traveling' up the bevcled surfaces St). and as the arms are swuna' backwardly the balls traveling' down the bereled surfaces 79.

ln order that the brush .structure ma)`` be properly bent around the pins 3-2- a retainingf and rectifyinf' post (it is provided to engage the structure durim,r the heading:r operation and retain a portion thereof in proper position, in the structure herein shown this post extending upwardly front a retaining post support (3.3 havin;r its end bent: to orerlie the brush strut-tun` to prcvent the latter from rising. The support (55 is secured to and extends from a retaining and rectiflvinpr post actuating bar (iti attached to the arms and as .shown in Figures 3 and .4 of the drawings. said bar having' slots to receive pins projc 'tin; r from said arnis.

in the operation of tho machim` thus far described it will be noted that at each forward swinging' mm'ement of the arnis ;USE the iaws are maintained in their open positions and the ends of the wire corc.`` ct' unbent brush .structures (So are located in the paths of moven'ent of the arnis, and as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. said structures being retained in suitable holders to be hereinafter described. As the ends of the arms sweep 'forward the brush structure is moved from its holder and is carried forward against the pins 3%. .lust prior to removal of the brush structure from its. holder the lower ends of the posts (Et) pass oti' from the 'ams (il. and the jaws are. therefore. rio-ed. said jaws beingr ;sprintr actuatcd for closing' movement if desired. The central portioi of the brush structure being in contact with the former pins, the ends are carried l'orward and the structure is' bent around the pins, an internediate position in this bendin{ r IOO lit)

operation beingr shown in Figure 3 of drawings. During this bonding. operation the former plate 33 is alsoicarried forward under the operation of the actuating bar 35 and the cam slot in the disc 24 and into the position shown in Figure 4. .lJuring tlis movement of the arms the rctaining and rectifyin;r post 64 is carried against the brush structure to preventan outwartlly bowing action of such structure, which would otherwise take place. In fact, this post positions the back part of the brush structure in a bent form` this to permit a proper bending; of tle structure around the pins34 i It will be noted that the ejector 38 is slottcd, as shown in Figure 4, to permit the movement just described of the post 64. During;r the latter part of the bending operation the arms are forcefl to the position shown in Figure 4:, wherein it will be noted that the ends of the wire core of the bent structure are at substantially right angles to that part of said core fron which said ends project, and it will also be noted that in this final bending,Y movement of the parts the ejector and the posts -itl and (rl- .have partially retraced their movements, this being etlected by the cam 25 and the arms 55; It will further be noted that the sides of the brush structure are bowed reven-:ely

`to the bowed form of one side, as shown lin Figure 3, but this is not sufficient to set the wire and When the structure is released the wire will springr to ,the form desired. and as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings, wherein the Vtinished structure 78 is shown.

A stop pin Sl projects from the ln-acket 43 into the path of movement of the arin -l/-t of the ejector the latter is swung to remove the bent structures from the former. rl`his movement being:r somewhat rapid is suddenly stopped, with a result that the forcible throwing of the bent structures from the ejcctor, hereinbeforc referred to,is caused.

As a means for supplying twisted lirush structures to the `orippers at the ends of the bendino' arms, a feed `runway comprisinp' sides tit" is provided with slots in said sit -s to receive the projecting' ends of the wires, and as shown in Figures i and of the dra ings. These sides, as shown herein, each conprises two bars separated to create said slots, the underbar 68 being` secured to the branches 69-70 of runway supports secured to the table 25), and the upper bars TI being` secured to straps 72 extending from the lower bars.

In order that only a single brush strt' irc shall be in position at a time to be engaged by the grippers a feed mcchani-xm is employed that compr i-;cs a pallet 73 having' h\ftent.- 74-75 that operate alternatehv upon the pi jecting wire ends of the brush ceres. and in a manner that will be readily understood,

.to effect a two-step movement of each structure, the last of which movements is a releasing novemei'it by the detentT-l and from which the brush structure falls to the position shown inFig'ure 1 in the vpath of novement of the grippers atthe ends of the arms In the construction herein shown there isa feed mechanism as just described appurten-ant tocach side of the runway, and each pallet is operated as by means of an arm 76 located in the path of movement of a detcnt operating cam 77 on one of the arms 55 and in a manner that will be readily understood, but I do not contemplate it: Vas a necessity that the two mechanisms shall be operated independently. i i 'i It may sometimes happen that; the bottom brushof the pile held by Vthe detent in the runway will stick or adhere to the brush next above it by reason of intermingling of the brush fibers, with a lresult; that one end of the brush structure may be freed, while the other end will be held. In such an event, and in order to give time for the attendant of tae machine toproperly free thebrush structure, I provide means for positioning such bottom brush spaced apart-from the remainder of the pile.- In the mechanism herein shown for accomplishingV this result I vprovide a second pallet 82, one on each side of the run way, located above the pallet 73, and this pallet may be connected with the pallet 73 as `by means of a link 833, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. i From this it Will be seen that should the bottom brush in the pile be prevented from readily freeing itself from the balance of the-pile, as to either or both ends, the attendant inay manually separate it and cause it to fall into position against the detcnt 75, from Which point the movement of the brush structure will be free from unintended interruption. i

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutcs I have described the princii pics of operation of my invention, together nism actuating member and men'ibe connected with said actuating member to be separately actua'ted thereby.

2. A wireibending' machine including an actuaiting shaft, a housing in which said shaft is mounted, shaft driving mechanism located within said housing, av .bending Jun tzu

mechanism actuating member located Within the housing, an actuating member located without the housing, and bonding mechanism including members operatively connected with said bending mechanism aetuating member and members connected with said actuating member to be sepa'ately actuated thereby.

3. A wire bonding machine including an actuatiug shaft, a housing in which said shaft is mounted, a bending mechanism actuatmg member located within the lionsing, a cam disc located without the housing.v and bending mechanism including bonding arms, a rod operatively connected with said arns and protecting within the housing and operatively connected with said bonding mechanism actuating member, said bending mechanism also including a nio 'ably mounted former and a bar operativeljY connected with said former and with said cam disc.

4. A wi'e bending machine including a movablv mounted former around which the wire, is bent. oscillating arns for bonding the wire around said former, an actuating shaft, a cam mounted on said shaft and operativelj1 connected with said former, a bending mechanism aetuating member secured to said shaft, and an operative connection between said bending mechanism actuating nfember and said oscillating arms for actuating the latter independeutly of said movably mounted former.

5. A wire bending machine including two oscillating shafts. means for imparting oseillatory movement to said shafts, oscillating bending arms secured to and projecting fron said shafts. jaws on said arms to grasp the ends of wires to be bent, means for opening and closing said jaws to grip said wires and to release them, a former around which said wires are bent. and means for presenting wires in the path of movement of said jaws.

G. A wire bending machine includingr two oseillating shafts. means for imparting oscillatov movement to said shafts. bonding arnis secured to and projecting from said sha fts, jaws on said arms to grasp the ends of wires to be bent, means for opening'and closing said jaws to grip said wires and to release them, jaw operating members located in the path of movement of said jaw opening and closing means, a former around which said wires are bent, and means for presenting wires in the path of movement of said jaws.

7. A wire bonding machine including two oscillating shafts with gears thereon, a rack extending between said gears and meshing therewith, means for imparting reciprocating movement to said rack, bending arms secured to and projecting from said shafts, jaws on said arms to grasp the ends of wires to be bent, means for presenting wires in the path of movement of said jaws, means for opening and closing said jaws to grip said wires and to release them, jaw operating members located in the path of movement of said jaw opening and closing means` and a former around which said wires are bent.

8. A wire beuding machine including two o scillating shafts. means for imparting oscillatorjv movement to said shafts, bonding arms secured to and projecting from said sha fts. jaws on said arms to grasp the, ends of wires to be bent, means 'for opening and closing said jaws. a can located in the path of movement of said opening and closing means to open the jaws as the arms are swung and to release said jaws for closingr movement after a wire has been presented between the jaws. means for presenting a wire with its ends in the path of movement of said jaws. a former around which said wires are bent, and means for releasing said jaws after said wire has been bent.

SP. .i wire bending nachine includingr two oscillating arms. means for imparting oscillatorjr movement to said arms. jaws located on .said arnis to grasp the ends of wires to be bent. means for presenting wires in the path of movement of said jaws. n'eans for opening and closing said jaws. means located in the path of movement of said jaw opening and closing means to operate said jaws lo open them and to close. them for gripping action. means for opening said jaws at the termination of the bending operation. and a form around which said wires are bent.

it). A wire bonding macline including a table with a projecting edge, oscillating arms having jaws to receive wires to be bent. means for imparting oscillatorjY movement to said arms, jaws on said arms to grasp the ends.` of wires to be bent, means for opening said jaws to grip the ends of wires and to release them, means for preventing wires in the path of movement of said jaws. a former around which said wires are bent, and means projecting from said arms underneath the projecting edge of said table to steady the arms in their reeiprocating moven'ent.

ll. 1\ wire bonding machine including a former, a pivotally mounted ejector plate. means for bonding a wire about said former and overljfing said plate, and means for swinging said plate, on the upper surface of which the wires are received. to carry .said wires upwardly, a ay fron said former and to therebj7 remove said wires from said plate after they have been bent.

.12. A wire bending machine including a 'former plate. pins projecting from said plate. means for bonding a wire around .said pins. a pivotallv mounted ejector plate underlying the wire during the bendiug operation. and means for swinging said plate to remove the bent structures from said pins.

13. A wire bonding machine including a former plate having a groove, pins projecting from said plate, a. pivotally mounted iiU IHI

ejector plate located in said groove, means for bending a -wire around said pins, and means for swinging said plate `to remove a bent wire from said pins.

ll. A wire bending machine lincluding a former, a pivotally mounted ejector plate, means for bending a wire around said former and overlying said plate, means for forcibly swingingsaid plate to remove wires from said former, and means for stopping the swinging movement of said plate to cause the bent structure to be thrown therefrom.

15. A wire bending machine including a reciprocating former, a pivotally mounted ejector plate, means for bonding a wire around said former and over-lying said plate, and a cam disc having a cam to reciprocate said former and a cam to operate said ejector plate.

16. A wire bending machine including a reciprocating former, a pivotally mounted ejector plate, means for heading a wire around said former and overlyi ng said plate, a cam disc having a cam groove, a former actuating member engaged with said groove to impart reciprocating` movement to said. former, a cam located on the periphery of said cam disc, and an operative connection between said last mentioned cam and said ejector plate to impart swiuging movement to the latter to remove a. bent structure from said fo r mer.

17. A wire bonding machine including a former, means for bonding a wire around said former, a rectifying post, and means for imparting relative movement between the structure being bent and said post suliicient to place said post in a position to cause the latter to engage the bent structure during the bending operation and prevent distortion beyond the limits of vits springing capacity.

18. A wire bending machine including a former, means for bending a wire around said former, rcta'ining post, and means for imparting relative movement between the structure being bent and said post sullicient to place said post in a position to cause the latter to engage a. bent structure during the bonding operation and prevent distortion beyond the limits of its springing capacity.

19. A wire bending machine 'including a` former, means for bendii'ig a wire around said former, a. rectifying pi st to engage one side of the bent structure, a retaining post to engage an opposite side of the bent structure, and means for independently operating said posts to engage said structure as it :is being bent.

20. A wire bending machine including a former, means for bending a wire around said former, a rectifying post, and means for moving the bent structure against said post sufficient to place said post in a position during the bending operation and prevent distortion beyond the limits of its capacity.

21. A wire bending machine including a. former, means for bending a wire around said former, a retaining post .movably mounted, means for moving said i post into contact with the structure being bent, a rectifying post, and means for moving the structure being bent into` contact with said rectifying post.

i A wire bending machine including a former, an ejector, means for bending a wire around said former' and overlying said ejector, a rectifying post secured to said ejector, and means for imparting relative movement between 'the structure being bent and said rectifying postj 23. A wire bending machine including a former, pivotally mounted bending arms for bending a wire around said former, and a retaining post carried by said arms, independently of the wire being bent, into contact with a structure being bent during the heuling operation.

24. A wire heading machine includinga movably mounted former, a pair of bonding arms, means for deliver-ing wire structures to said arms to be bent around said former, an actuating shaft, a connection between said shaft and said bonding arms for operation ot the latter, and a connection between said shaft and the former for moving the latter.

A wire bonding machine including a former, a pair of pivotally mounted bending arnis for bonding wires around said former, means for operating said arms, jaws located on said arms, means for automatically open- .in and closing said jaws to release and grip a wire, and a feed device for presenting structures in the path of movement of said jaws and including means for releasing the terminal structure for presentation to said jaws.

26. A wire bending machine including bending mechanism, a feed device including a runway for a pile of structures to be bent, means for completely controlling movement of said pile of structures, and other means for controlling movement of one of said structures in a position separated from the balance of said structures.

27. A wire bending machine including bending mechanism, a feed device including a runway for' a pile of structures to be bent, a detent for controlling movement of one of said structures for delivery to the bending mechanism, and a detent for independently and completely controlling movement of the balance of the structures in the runway.

28. A wire bending machine including bending mechanism, a. feed device including a runway for a pile of structures to be bent,

springing a detent for controlling movement of one of said structures for delivery to the bending mechanism, a detent for independently and completely controlling moven'ent of the balance of the structures in the runvay, and means connecting said detents for simultaneous operation thereof.

29. A Wire bonding machine including an actuating shaft, a bonding:r mechanism actuating: nember secured to said slaft', a cam disc secured to said slaft, heading mechanism including bonding arms. a rod operativel)v connected with said arms and with said bonding mechanism actuating member, said heading: mechanism also including` a, novabljv mounted former, and a bar operativeljy connected with said former and with said cam disc.

30. A Wire bending machine including two oscillatine` sha'fts with gears thereon, a rack extending` between said gears and mesliing therewith, means for imparting reciprocating)r movement to said rack, bonding arms secured to and projecting Vfrom said shat'ts, jaws on said arms, to `e ras/p the ends of wires to be bent, means 'for prcsenting wires in the path ot.i movement of said jaws, means for opening' and closingy said jaws to grip said wires and to release then` and a former around Which said wires are bent.

31. A Wire lalndinj nau-hine including two oseillat'ine' slat'ts. means for oseillating' said sha'fts. heading arnis .secured to and projecting from said slat'ts. jaws on said arms. means for presentiae' wires in the path ot' movement ot said jaws to be swcpt. into the latter in the movement of said arms. means for opening said jaws to receive and to releast the wires and for closing' the jaws to grip said wires. and a former around which said wires are bent.

ANTON VAN VIEN. 

